In 2009, after an extensive visioning process and public comment, the City adopted an updated General Plan which “represents the product of years of efforts on the part of residents and businesses in the community working to maintain and improve Madera’s quality of life and implement the community’s shared vision for the future”.

The General Plan serves as the City’s blueprint for long term development. The General Plan contains goals, policies and implementation strategies that address Madera’s growth and the quality of life of its residents. The General Plan is organized into chapters, or elements, that cover specific topics. Madera’s Plan covers all of the mandatory features required by the State of California, as well as several optional topics that were emphasized through Vision 2025. A total of ten topical elements are included in the Madera General Plan: Community Design, Circulation and Infrastructure, Conservation, Health and Safety, Housing, Land Use, Noise, Historic and Cultural Resources, Parks and Recreation, and Sustainability.

These goals and policies adopted as part of the General Plan are the standards that all new development in the City is measured by. The City must find that new project proposed within the City limits are consistent with the General Plan as part of any approval process.